You guys all know that "cutthroat" is just an idiom that means "competitive" right
Aggressively/Ruthlessly so though.
So while "natural causes"-ing your competion is probably a bit much sabotage, shifting blame and stealing credit are to be expected.
"If it lives it can be killed.
If it is dead it can be eaten."
Ronkong Coma "the way of the bookhunter" III Catacombium
(Walter Moers "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher")